Rob Perkins is the rhythm maestro of the Bublé band. Rob plays the drums so hard hard, fast and furiously, you can feel your heart pounding with every beat as the energy mounts, reverberates around the theatre and strikes at your very core. From high energy performances in "Smile", "Moondance" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", to the gentle and delicate brushwork in Michael's slow tempo songs, Rob subtlely adds volumes to classics such as "Try A Little Tenderness", "You Don't Know Me" and "You And I".
Rob hails from an impressive academic background. An honors graduate of the prestigious Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz, where he was in the same class (Third Class 1999-2001) as fellow Bublé band member, Bryan Lipps, and former band member, Jason Goldman, Rob also has a Masters Degree in Music from The University of Southern California.
A professional drummer and percussionist with a jazz and a pop/rock pedigree, Rob has played with artists as diverse as The Clayton Brothers, Tierney Sutton, Ingrid Jensen, Vanessa Rubin, Bobby Watson, Chris Pierce, Charlie Hunter, Andy Guthrie, Leon Parker, Larry Williams, Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall and Dr. Dre.
Apart from playing with the Bublé band, Rob is perhaps best known as a member of the Benny Lackner Trio, together with Benny Lackner himself (on piano, fender rhodes, nord electro, nordlead 2 and honer pianet) and Derek Nievergelt (bass). The Benny Lackner Trio's debut CD, "Not The Same" was released in November, 2004. The second album, "Sign Of The Times" was released in April, 2006 and the Trio's third album, "Pilgrim" was released in April 2007.
Rob endorses DW Drums, Regal Tip Sticks and Brushes, and Zildjian Cymbals.
Michael Bublé Recordings featuring Rob Perkins
CD + DVDs
* dates in brackets are UK release dates
Michael Bublé ~ Caught In The Act (2006)*
- "Caught In The Act" is available from Amazon.co.uk
and Amazon.com
.
CDs
With Love, Michael Bublé (2006) (Hallmark)
- "With Love, Michael Bublé" is available from Amazon.com
.
Benny Lackner Trio Recordings
Benny Lackner Trio ~ Pilgrim (2007)
Track Listing:
- Mowgla
- Pilgrim
- Beyond
- Let It Die
- Brad Plus
- Blind
- I Never
- Lonely Lonely
- Kw's Nightmare
- Transkei
- Emma's Song
- "Pilgrim" is available from Amazon.com
and CD Baby.
Benny Lackner Trio ~ Not The Same (2004)
Track Listing:
- 99 Luftballons
- Will It Matter
- Umlaut
- If Six Was Nine
- Not The Same
- Moanin'
- Bushisms
- Bemsha Swing
- Riverman
- Red Hook
- Sheep's Dog
- Cherokee
- Monday Morning
- "Not The Same" is available from Amazon.co.uk
and Amazon.com
.
Benny Lackner Trio ~ Sign of the Times (2006)
Track Listing:
- Sign of the Times
- Ballade
- Dresden Blues
- Sister Love
- Feisty Beast
- Soul Eyes
- Rambo Sex Party
- Isobel
- How About You
-
"Sign of the Times" is available from Amazon.co.uk
and Amazon.com
.
Other Recordings featuring Rob Perkins
The Jason Goldman Nonet ~ The Definitive Standard
Chris Pierce ~ Static Trampoline
Andy Guthrie ~ Milk and Waste
Larry Williams ~ The Bridge
Charlie Hunter ~ Self-titled
Lesa Carlson Off Blue ~ Evolution into the Conscious Revolution
Articles featuring Rob Perkins
-
Michael Bublé in sensational Vegas debut (February 19, 2006 ~ Broadway to Vegas)
-
Artist Update (November, 2005 ~ DW Drums)
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Charlie Hunter - Self-titled CD (Album review)
-
Lena Carlson Off Blue - Evolution into the Conscious Revolution
(14 May, 2004 ~ PopMatters Short Takes) -
Meet Terri Lyne Carrington (March, 2002 ~ All About Jazz)
-
Official Website & MySpace URL:
-
Benny Lackner Trio - for info, access via Benny Lackner's official site
Exclusive Interview for www.bubléband.com
Rob Perkins kindly allowed me to interview him in Germany during Michael's 2006 European Tour - thank you, Rob!
Part 1 - Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany - Wednesday, 24th May, 2006
What is your date of birth and place of birth?
January 17th, 1975 in Dayton, Ohio.
Where do you live now?
I live in New York.
When did you start playing the drums?
At the age of 10, I started studying the drums.
Studying the drums?
Yeah, I was messing around sort of out of boredom but at the age of 10 in the 5th Grade I started studying.
So at home did you annoy the hell out of your neighbours when you were practicing?
My neighbours were really tolerant and very very supportive totally including in the summer time I would set up my drums outdoors on the deck in the backyard and play there and they were supportive of that.
Do you play any other instruments?
I play enough piano to get around. I can write and compose and arrange.
So you could give Alan Chang a run for his money?
Not at all. It’d never have the guts to play with a band but do enough to get done what I need to do.
I hear you’re a percussionist as well?
Well, through high school I studied orchestral percussion. Then getting into University and very much needing to make rent I didn’t really have the time to focus on that as much as I would have liked to but I do play a bunch of hand percussion and Latin percussion – most of the things that are associated with popular and commercial music.
So during Michael’s show what sort of percussion instruments do you play or is it purely the drums?
Attached to the drum set I’ve got a couple of cowbells here and there and I’ve got a set of shakers that, if I can manage to get to them, I sneak them in every now and then, but there’s a little bit of auxiliary percussion involved in the show.
What made you decide to become a professional drummer? Was there a defining moment which made you choose this career?
You know … it wasn’t a decision that was ever made. It was just something that I knew.
Just a natural progression?
Yeah. It wasn’t a decision that I actively made. Just … I was, I am, and always have been a drummer, and was always gonna be.
So who has been your greatest influence or inspiration?
Musically?
Musically and personally?
I guess we’ll start musically … I am currently studying with a wonderful educator named Michael Carvin. Many of my favourite drummers studied with him and I’m very fortunate to be studying with him now. And I’m a huge, huge Stevie Wonder fan. Stevie is an excellent drummer and a lot of people don’t know it’s actually Stevie playing drums on a lot of his tracks. I guess you could say Stevie has made the world dance to his music and with any luck, I can make just as many people dance as a drummer.
If you could play with any band or artist who would that be? Or have you already done that in your career?
You know, the things that I’m involved in right now, I’m very excited about. I have a trio that I play in with a piano player, Benny Lackner. We go by the name of the Benny Lackner Trio and that’s made with two of my best friends in the world [Benny Lackner, piano and Derek Nievergelt, bass]. And I absolutely love the music that we make and I also play with an artist out of Los Angeles, Chris Pierce, and Chris is a fast-rising star in the popular music world and I absolutely love working with him. I love working with Michael. I’d love to work with someone like Joni Mitchell. I’d love to work with someone like Meshell Ndegeocello, Ben Harper, or with Stevie Wonder.
So have long have you been with the Bublé band?
Since January ’05.
And was there an audition process or were you introduced? How did that come about?
It was more that I’ve known the guys … I went to college with a lot of the guys in the band. Even going back to Bill Wysaske [Michael’s former drummer]. He and I were in Los Angeles at the same time while I was in University. And I was there at the same time that Jason Goldman [Michael’s former alto sax player] was, and Justin Ray and Bryan Lipps, and Alan Chang was a little bit younger than us, and we went there … so we just sort of … I knew the guys and they knew me.
So you knew the guys just socially, or were you at the same University?
… and professionally. We were close friends and when they eventually were in need of a drummer they let me know and we were able to work something out.
If you could play any venue in the world where would that be?
You know, I don’t feel like that venue matters.
The world has no boundaries? Is that what you mean?
Or just that I’m just as excited to play in a living room as I am to play in the Royal Albert Hall. I’m just as excited to play anywhere where I can get access to the instrument and the music. I try not to let the environment change how I feel about the way I play.
What is your favourite place you’ve visited on tour – either with Michael or with Benny Lackner?
We happen to be in Germany right now and I’m a big fan of Germany. I’ve been here several times.
Is that through Benny’s influence?
Yes. Benny grew up here. Part of his formative years he spent time in Germany. We’ve toured here a bunch of times. I also really love Sydney, Australia.
Language-wise, do you speak German or any other languages?
I can order in a Mexican restaurant! … I can eat in Spanish. I can deal with enough Spanish to get myself fed and around town if I have to.
Can you tell me some technical details about the drum kit and the drum sticks you use?
I’m a DW Drum endorser and I’m a big, big fan of their drums and they are a great company to be involved with. I’m also a Zildjian Cymbals endorser as well as a Regal Tip Drum Sticks endorser and all three of those companies are very supportive and great to be involved with.
Your drum solo at the end of “Smile” is absolutely amazing. Is that your favourite part of the concert?
That’s my absolute least favourite part of the concert. I’m not a fan of drum solos and I enjoy playing behind and supporting other people. I enjoy playing music because I enjoy playing with people and when everybody else stops playing, I suddenly … all of my reasons for playing disappear at the same time. I do enjoy and appreciate that the solo has become a popular part of the show, but that little moment is a little terrifying for me.
So did you compose that solo yourself?
Michael came to me at one point and said, “We’re looking for a point in the show where we can feature the drums and we want to make it very exciting. We want to make it something that the audience will really enjoy” and he very much left it up to me to find a point in the show where I thought it would be a good idea to do that. So I figured we could do it on “Smile” because “Smile” is very fast and exciting and then I put the arrangement of the drum solo together and then it sort of worked out. It worked out real nicely … Jason Goldman is actually the person who arranged “Smile” and Jason and I are very close friends and I was just able to sort of understand the way in which he was building within the arrangement and able to insert the drum solo in there.
So presumably that is also the most technically challenging piece that you play throughout the concert?
Yes, absolutely. Actually the hardest part about it is playing “Home” immediately after that song. By the time “Smile” is over I have to work very hard to slow down my heart rate in order to play “Home” as relaxed as it should sound.
What is your academic and professional background, training-wise?
I have a Masters Degree from the University of Southern California as well as a Bachelor of Music Degree also from the University of Southern California. I’ve studied with many, many teachers, including Michael Carvin, who I mentioned before, Billy Higgins, Ndugu Chancler, Terri Lynn Carrington, Jeff Hamilton, Joe La Barbera – lots of wonderful teachers outside of just the University that helped me get to the point of the journey that I’m on now.
Do you have any brothers and sisters and are any of them musicians?
I’m in the middle of three boys. I have a younger brother and an older brother – neither of them are musicians.
So if you weren’t a musician what do you think you would be doing in your career? Or what would you like to do if you weren’t a musician?
You know … I would be involved in some sort of business … I would be involved in some form of … making lots of money.
It’s obviously difficult to transport your drum kit from one venue to another so presumably you can’t … or can you keep part of it with you and transport it yourself … or do you just keep hold of your drum sticks and that’s it?
Well fortunately we have a really great road crew that takes care of us and enables us to just show up and play.
Has anything ever happened to your kit in transit?
Yes … and it’s not fun when that happens …
Part 2 - Stadtpark Freilichtbühne, Hamburg, Germany - Sunday, 28th May, 2006
What’s a typical day in the life of Rob Perkins like on tour with Michael?
Life on the road is all about repetition. For me it just involves a lot of as much exercise as I can get, as much yoga as I can get in. I’ll try and do a lot of yoga either in the room or if I can find a local studio and if we have the time and energy then we’ll do some sightseeing. Yeah, it’s very repetitive. We have a lot of physical maintenance of ourselves and of our instruments that we need to constantly upkeep and we need to practice and we need to sort of stay rested and save energy for the shows and everything. It’s a delicate balance between boredom and needing to do things.
So if you have a couple of days off in between shows you’re not technically having a day off because you still have to rest and practice?
Yeah, you have to make sure that you still reserve some energy, still need to practice your instrument. You still need to do the things that are going to keep you sharp and prepared.
When you’re not touring with Michael, what is your daily routine?
I think the life of a musician will always revolve around a lot of practice and a lot of maintenance and upkeep of our physical selves and our spiritual selves and our mental selves.
How many hours of practice would you say you do a day or is it not structured that way?
For me It’s not structured that way at all. It’s largely balanced around opportunity and what’s going on in my professional life at the time. If there’s a certain performance that I need to be preparing for, if there’s a certain thing that I’m working on musically it very much varies.
You play as part of the Benny Lackner Trio – how did you become involved with that?
Hmm. I met Benny in New York. We both happened to live in Los Angeles at the time and we were both visiting New York City and we ran into each other in New York City at a jam session and became very fast friends and became very close friends very quickly and then continued to play together when we were in Los Angeles – we were both back in school in Los Angeles. I was going to USC [University of Southern California] at the time. He was in CalArts [California Institute of the Arts] and several years later we were both living in New York and I had a good sense of what Benny was like musically and I had a very good bass player friend named Derek Nievergelt. I sort of knew that those two would be a great fit and the three of us would probably have some fun musically and we’ve been playing together ever since. Now, because of my involvement with Michael, lately, they’ve seen each other a whole lot more than I can ever see them but they’ve become great friends and the friendship of that trio I think is something that’s very important.
Is it difficult to fit in touring with the Benny Lackner Trio when you’re obviously working with Michael?
It’s very challenging. Benny is very, very supportive and very patient and very understanding. At the same point it is a trio made up of unique people that while they are able to go and function – there are some great drummers that have been able to sort of hold down the chair for me in my absence – it’s still a very special thing when we get to play together.
What do you consider to be your proudest achievement to date?
Hmm. Well … I’d say my proudest professional achievement … I’ll sort of keep it professional … my proudest professional achievement is my involvement in the three bands that I work with the most. I’m very proud of the music that we’ve been making. That being Michael’s band the guys in the band and the music, the records that I’ve made with Benny Lackner and Chris Pierce. I’m very, very proud of those records – both of their music are very important to me personally.
Do the other guys in the band have a nickname for you?
Hmm. Usually “Perks” or “Perkins”.
And when did you first start playing with Michael’s band?
January ’05.
And did you have to go through an audition process?
It was more just that the guys in the band … I knew the guys in the band from before Michael came around … and even some of the previous drummers in the band, I knew them … and when they were in need of a drummer they were able to call me and I was able to make myself available. I didn’t necessarily think that I would stick on as long as I did but once I got involved and saw what Michael was like and saw what the band and what the environment was like I enjoyed it and decided to stick around.
If you weren’t a professional drummer what would you most likely be doing?
I think this is one of the ones we covered the other day but I would probably be involved in some sort of business. I don’t think that the actual occupation really matters that much. A conversation that we actually had on the bus the other night … very often people will say to us, “It’s so great that you get to do what you love” and “It’s so great you get to live your dream sort of …” – I don’t necessarily buy into that line of thinking and I think it’s potentially a dangerous line of thinking. I think that with musicians and people involved in the arts, it’s more that we learn HOW to find the love of what we do. From there we can take those lessons and we learn to find that Zen in ANY activity that we’re doing and I think I would be able to find the same Zen and love of doing in anything that I did. So when people say, “Well, I don’t have a life like yours and I wish I did because you get to do what you love” – What I actually do is not the important thing – the important thing is to simply love the act of doing, instead of trying to find the one single thing that you love, it really is not the occupation, it’s the spirit with which the occupation is carried out.
That’s a really interesting philosophy …
Because I’m a drummer … I could walk away from our conversation and break my leg and not play the drums for a year. I refuse to think that I would suddenly be depressed because I’m not able to “do what I love.” That kind of attachment can be very spiritually dangerous. It’s most important to find a way to love the act of doing or find the art in whatever it is that you do – then, that’s where happiness lies.
Fans travel from all over the world to see Michael and the band perform. By the same token is there an act or artist you would travel the world to see?
At this age, no, not really. When I was younger I would’ve gone to great lengths to go to see someone like Prince perform. I would’ve gone to great lengths to see someone like Sting or Stevie Wonder – those are all artists that I really wanted to play with growing up, that I really wanted to get in their band … like I really wanted to play with Prince – still do! So when I was younger I would’ve traveled to do things like that, yeah.
Do you have any plans to work on any solo projects and if so when can we look forward to hearing them?
You know, I have started thinking about it recently. I very much consider Benny’s Trio to be a co-led trio that I’m just as much a member of and that music I consider to be just as much a part of me as something that I would put out. But then again it is a co-led situation. Something that I would do as an individual leader? I’ve just started thinking about it recently and that might be a project for ’07.
I’m sure you’ll let us know when it comes to fruition?
I will, absolutely.
What’s your reaction to the fact that fans of Michael are just as much fans of yourself and the rest of the band?
I obviously think it’s wonderful. It’s great. We really appreciate the enthusiasm – both for Michael’s music and for the music that we make in our outside professional lives. To us that’s a really wonderful by-product of our association with Michael … that it gives us the opportunity to expose more and more people to more and more kinds of music.
And finally, what’s your favourite song that Michael sings during the shows?
Hmm … You know, we used to do, “You and I” in the show and that sort of found it’s way out of the setlist recently but I used to really enjoy that – and there you ago again, “You and I” is a Stevie Wonder composition. I’m a pretty big Stevie Wonder fan you know and I used to really enjoy it and Michael would just sing the heck out of it.
Rob Perkins Photo Gallery
